Overview

Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin

There are two sides to every summer.

When seventeen-year-old Rory McShane steps off the train in East Hampton, it's as if she's entered another universe, one populated by impossibly beautiful people wearing pressed khakis and driving expensive cars. She's signed on to be a summer errand girl for the Rules -- a wealthy family with an enormous beachfront mansion. Upon arrival, she's warned by other staff members to avoid socializing with the family, but Rory soon learns that may be easier said than done.

Stifled by her friends and her family's country club scene, seventeen-year-old Isabel Rule, the youngest of the family, embarks on a breathless romance with a guy whom her parents would never approve of. It's the summer for taking chances, and Isabel is bringing Rory along for the ride.

But will Rory's own summer romance jeopardize her friendship with Isabel? And, after long-hidden family secrets surface, will the Rules' picture-perfect world ever be the same?

About the Author

Joanna Philbin was born in Los Angeles and raised in New York City. She holds a BA from Brown University and a JD and an MFA from the University of Notre Dame. She is the author of the Daughters series, and lives and writes in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

"Even if you never plant a Jack Roger-ed foot in the Hamptons, Philbin takes you there."—USA Today

"Rules of Summer is a delicious read about two girls from very different worlds sharing one unforgettable summer."—Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, authors of Spoiled and Messy

"Friendship, first love, and an unforgettable setting -- Rulesof Summer is the perfect summer read. Read it at the beach (or if you just want to feel like you're at the beach). I loved it!"—Morgan Matson, author of Second Chance Summer and Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

From the Publisher

The daughter of former talk show host Regis Philbin continues to mine her roots, following her Daughters series with a similarly themed novel. Set among the chic country clubs and pristine beaches of East Hampton, this conventional but entertaining story follows two unlikely 17-year-old friends: Isabel Rule, the daughter of blue-blood millionaires, and Rory McShane, the niece of the Rules’ housekeeper. When Rory first arrives at the Rules’ beachside mansion to be their “errand girl” for the summer, it’s all she can do to keep from gawking at her posh surroundings and offending Isabel. But eventually, Isabel’s superficial needs throw the girls together, paving the way for a deeper connection. As they open up about their respective fears, they realize that while their circumstances are worlds apart, what they want out of life might not be. Though Rory’s transformation from insecure wallflower to outspoken critic of the rich and famous is rushed, and a last-minute twist feels tacked on, Philbin’s impressions of Hamptons’ etiquette—both the good and the deliciously nasty—remain as strong as ever. Ages 15–up. Agent: Rebecca Oliver, William Morris Endeavor. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"Rules of Summer is a delicious read about two girls from very different worlds sharing one unforgettable summer."

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

"Even if you never plant a Jack Roger-ed foot in the Hamptons, Philbin takes you there."

USA Today

"Friendship, first love, and an unforgettable setting -- Rulesof Summer is the perfect summer read. Read it at the beach (or if you just want to feel like you're at the beach). I loved it!"

Morgan Matson

Rory McShane is looking forward to escaping her man-obsessed single mother for the summer. Her aunt Fee has been working for the Rule family as long as she can remember and arranged for Rory to be their Hamptons house errand girl. Isabel Rule is bored by the same old privileged lifestyle, family, and friends. So far the only thing these girls have in common is that they are both seventeen, but when Isabel falls hard for a local boy from the wrong side of town and Rory falls for Connor Rule, they both find themselves wanting what others think they should not have. Using the familiar premise of a poor girl with moxie facing off against a self-centered rich girl until they realize they are meant to be best friends forever, this story does not move much past predictable. Contradictory detailssuch as Rory being completely unaware of basic information about the Rule family when they have been her aunt's employer for such a long time, and randomly inserted extras like learning why Isabel was sent to boarding school but the situation is never mentioned againjust add to the confused feeling of this story. It is difficult to understand how these teen couples are so deeply in love when serious conversations between them are lacking and they come from such different backgrounds. Tucked away toward the end of the book, a bombshell family secret is revealed repeatedly to multiple characters, but there is little discernible change within these characters or their interactions as a result. Reviewer: Stacey Hayman

VOYA - Stacey Hayman

Seventeen-year-old Rory McShane spends the summer in East Hampton in a beachfront mansion on the tip on Long Island as the errand girl for the wealthy Rule family. Rory secures the summer job for room and board only since she is the niece of the family's housekeeper. Rory and the Rule's youngest daughter, Isabeltwo girls from very different worldsshare an unforgettable summer of taking chances. In their respective lives, Rory is the caretaker of her mother who is quite focused on her own needs while Isabel is a pampered princess, albeit a bit rebellious, in this very wealthy family. Isabel's character growth shown in the story is no doubt due to Rory's influence. The Hamptons' geographical area is described very well by the author. The ?long hidden family secrets' of the Rules as noted in the synopsis are not a driving force in the plot when they are revealed in the story. The author notes "Isabel is the privileged daughter who's used to having guys fall at her feet." While "Rory is the no-nonsense girl from a small New Jersey town who's always been the friend, never the girlfriend." These characteristics help to drive the story as Rory falls in love with Isabel's brother, and Isabel falls in love with a twenty-year-old young man her family does not approve of. The book is written is alternating POVs from Rory and Isabel, and the romances are revealed from their dual perspectives. It is an enjoyable summer romance read that will appeal to older young adult readers. Reviewer: Annie Laura Smith

Children's Literature - Annie Laura Smith

Gr 9 Up—Rory is thrilled to be joining her aunt at a beach mansion in New York's Hamptons for the summer. One small wrinkle, though: Fee is the housekeeper, and Rory will be an unpaid errand girl for the fabulously wealthy Rule family. It won't be exactly carefree, blissful fun in the sun, but it will be a departure from small-town New Jersey and the parade of her hair-stylist mother's boyfriends. The youngest Rule daughter, Isabel, also decides to try something new: a romance with Mike, a salt-of-the-earth, local surfer who seems to be calling the shots, and that's a first for her. Gone are the salad lunches with gossip about the same old, same old. Now it's an older guy and a whole different sphere of people. After a rocky start, Rory and Isabel find themselves in an upstairs-downstairs friendship in which Rory tries to teach Isabel to drive while Isabel resolves to find Rory a boyfriend. The guy Rory really likes is Isabel's older brother. Maybe Conner even likes her, but the exacting Mrs. Rule, who fires cooks with alarming frequency, would look down her nose at such an unsuitable attachment. In this serviceable summer romance novel, the girls and their love interests are fleshed out nicely.—Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA

School Library Journal

When a middle-class girl spends the summer living with a superrich family on Long Island, conflict and romance result. As Rory's mom moves from cheap, young boyfriend to cheaper, younger boyfriend, Rory looks for escape. Her aunt, the housekeeper for the wealthy Rule family, invites her to stay in East Hampton on Long Island for the summer. Rory agrees to do minor errands for the family in exchange for her beautiful room, and inevitably, she is thrown together with the Rules' spoiled-brat, youngest child, Isabel, who tries to help Rory find a boyfriend. Unbeknownst to Isabel, however, Rory and Isabel's brother Connor fall in love, although Rory knows the Rule family will never approve. Meanwhile Isabel falls for a local surfer, another forbidden and therefore hidden romance. As the summer progresses, Isabel begins to mature beyond her wealthy girlfriends at the local country club, and Rory realizes that no matter how nice the Rules appear on the surface, power and money trump all, although that verdict does not fit everyone in the family. Many of the wealthy characters turn out to be shallow, but a few grow to realize that surface appearances and arbitrary power don't matter much in real life, a predictable, simple character arc. Philbin hits all the buttons designed to attract chick-lit readers--major wealth, casually mentioned fashion, hot boyfriends and, of course, universal beauty--for a summertime diversion. (Chick lit. 12 & up)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

I absolutely loved this book! Its a bit predictable but if your looking for a quick beach read this is perfect!

majibookshelf

More than 1 year ago

Rules of Summer is a similar but much better read than The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz. Both books are similar in the sense that an average, if not poor, girl ends up working for a rich family, this one living in the Hamptons. What is also similar is that there is a switching POV however this one is only between two girls, Rory, the girl staying at the house for the summer in exchange for being the errand girl, and Isabel Rule, the girl from the rich family that Rory is working for. At the beginning, I felt there would be a bit of cattiness coming from Isabel, however Isabel was a pleasant surprise. She just came back from a full year at a high school in California (her parents sent her there because of her rebelliousness) and now she hates her old life, from the fake friends who are snobs to anyone who isn't rich, the Goergica, the exclusive club that makes these rich people's heads grow bigger, to her family that is trying to find any excuse to point out how big of a screw up she is. I do know the synopsis hints at a big mystery.. well it more like says it &quot;long-hidden family secrets&quot; isn't much of a hint, however that never really becomes a big part of the novel.. only towards the end is the secret revealed and you go like &quot;ohh.. yea the synopsis did mention there is a secret or something.&quot; This doesn't mean that the book wasn't good, but if you are going into it for that, I say to change your expectations. Now for Rory.. I really tried loving her as a female protagonist but I just couldn't get past the &quot;tolerable enough&quot; state. She gets love struck immediately by Isabel's brother and somehow her world started revolving around him. I hate girls who act like that and can not relate to them at all. In all honesty I didn't enjoy the romance that went on in both Isabel and Rory's lives.. what I did enjoy is their growing friendship and following through their arc and seeing how two girls from two different worlds were able to become friends. I cant promise you depth or substance.. this book is a fluffy rummer read. I personally enjoyed the first half more than the second because the full on love fest didn't sit well with me. when two people say &quot;I love you&quot; to each other when they've only been seeing each other for a month.... that makes me roll my eyes.. hard. One thing I must point out is that this is apparently a series (well.. goodreads says it is) so I am not sure what I feel about that. The ending did feel a tiiiiiny bit open ended, in the sense that their journey promises more, but I didn't expect that. I am looking forward to the sequel and hoping that is when we see more depth and complexity from the characters and the plot. All in all Rules of Summer is perfect for a beach read and fans of summer/contemporary reads!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

It was a really good read. It shows how love and friendship can be found where and when you least expect it.

Xoxo_divergent

More than 1 year ago

This book is by far my favorite summer read! Rory is a lot like me but I'm not as lucky! I can't wait to read
Since last summer.(the sequel)

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I couldnt put it down

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BooksWithBite

More than 1 year ago

Picking up this author for the first time, I was hoping that I enjoy this book. I liked the book but some areas failed for me.
Plot: This plot for me moved slow and seemed a bit cliched at some parts. The plot played out exactly how I thought it would and of course didn&rsquo;t really have any emphasis on a life changing moment. There was drama, boys, and money involved in every aspect.
Love: It was instant which turned me off completely. Not to mention that of course they would fall in the love. The rich boy and the poor girl from the city. I was hoping that there would be meaningful moments but instead of living in the moment their constants thoughts were on money and what would happen afterward.
Working: I found it weird how easily this girl got every comfortable living with other people she is supposed to be working for. She acted like she lived there. There were certain moments where my stomach churned at the thought of her loosing what she went there in the first place.
Overall, I don&rsquo;t think this book lived up to my expectations. The ending felt rushed, like the author was trying to make up for the plot int he beginning. For me, this book had lots of buildup but not enough action. Rules Of Summer is okay.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Alyssa75

More than 1 year ago

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin
Book One of the Rules of Summer series
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Review copy sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
There are two sides to every summer.
When seventeen-year-old Rory McShane steps off the bus in East Hampton, it's as if she's entered another universe, one populated by impossibly beautiful people wearing pressed khakis and driving expensive cars. She's signed on to be a summer errand girl for the Rules -- a wealthy family with an enormous beachfront mansion. Upon arrival, she's warned by other staff members to avoid socializing with the family, but Rory soon learns that may be easier said than done.
Stifled by her friends and her family's country club scene, seventeen-year-old Isabel Rule, the youngest of the family, embarks on a breathless romance with a guy whom her parents would never approve of. It's the summer for taking chances, and Isabel is bringing Rory along for the ride. But will Rory's own summer romance jeopardize her friendship with Isabel? And, after long-hidden family secrets surface, will the Rules' picture-perfect world ever be the same?
What I Liked:
I have a secret to tell you all: I LOVE books like these, when the two protagonists come from two very different social backgrounds, and fall in love. I don't read too many of them (heck, I don't really like contemporary novels), but I LOVE contemporary romance novels like that. I believe All In by Marta Brown features this type of story and romance, though I have not read that one yet (I own a copy though).
I was pleasantly surprised when I finished this book and realized that I really enjoyed it! As I said before, I love books with a &quot;poor&quot; girl and super rich boy (or vice versa), and this book actually features both types of relationships. Rory, the summer errand girl, falls for Connor Rule, one of the sons of the family. Isabel Rule, one of the daughters, falls for Mike, a farmer's son.
This book is told from both Rory and Isabel's perspective, but both are in third person. In the beginning, I vastly preferred Rory's perspective. Rory is level-headed, intelligent, thoughtful, with a slow-burn temper. She and I are very similar, and I have a lot of respect for her. Her character development is subtle, but I love what Philbin does with Rory. As her story progresses, Rory gets braver and braver when it comes to what she wants, and in the end, she stands up for herself.
Isabel is different. In the beginning, Isabel seems shallow and self-centered, although she also seems frustrated with her life. She's the typical partying, troublesome, spoiled rich girl, who got kicked out of school and is always getting what she wants. She meets Mike when she almost drowns, and he pulls her out of the water. She can't stop thinking about him, he can't stop thinking about her, and a summer fling begins. Except for Isabel, and Mike, it's so much more.
Isabel grows up quite a bit in this book. She learns who really are her friends, and finds that she can trust and rely on the &quot;help&quot; (Rory) more than she can on her socialite friends. When Isabel falls in love with Mike, she's unsure of what she's doing, because he doesn't bow to her every command. Mike is mysterious, a wild card, and Isabel isn't used to this. Isabel is spoiled and rich, but she learns how to be more &quot;human&quot; in this book, due to her relationship with Mike, and her budding friendship with Rory.
That's something that I really liked about this book - besides the character development, the demonstration of real relationships is abundant in this book. Rory and Connor fall in love, and even though it takes them longer to get together, and the spotlight isn't on them, their relationship is beautifully crafted. The romance in this book is more focused on Mike and Isabel, and I liked their relationship as well. Friendship is important too - Rory and Isabel become good friends, despite their social differences.
I really enjoyed the romances, as I mentioned (though I wanted more Connor and Rory). I definitely like how this book is part of a SERIES series, and not a companion series. I cannot wait to see how Isabel figures out her love life - I'm excited, just from reading book two's summary. My review of book two will be posted later this week!
What I Did Not Like:
Me labeling this book as a &quot;contemporary romance&quot; novel isn't completely fair - romance isn't all that is on Rory's mind. Isabel, maybe, but not Rory. However, that's just it - I wanted to see more romance and chemistry and whatnot from Rory and Connor. I was a tad bit disappointed by how little scenes there were between Connor and Rory alone - I wanted more! Perhaps in the next book, right?
Would I Recommend It:
If you're looking for a good, fun, summer contemporary romance novel, then look no further! This book came out last year, but I think it's fresh and awesome. And the second book (which comes out this month) is NOT a companion novel, but it's an actual sequel! That's pretty rare these days, when it comes to contemporary romance novels. If you like contemporary romance novels, definitely check out this series!
Rating:
4 stars. This is a great summer romance read! I can honestly say I don't read too many summer contemporary romance novels, but I liked this one well enough! I'll be reviewing book two, Since Last Summer, here on the blog on Thursday!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Came ot the same day the best book in the world(the moon and more by sarah dessen) did!! June 4 2013!! Woop woop